ESSEC Appointments: Amazon, Comité Colbert, Blackstone, Challenges, Légion d'honneur…

Senior executives from major groupes in France and internationally, one Officier and two Chevaliers de la Légion d'honneur… and two alumnae among Challenges magazine’s 50 Personalities of the Year! A selection of recent appointments within the ESSEC network.

Jean-Baptiste Thomas (E99) has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Amazon France, effective February 2026. He began his career in entrepreneurship by co-founding Filmbox, a company specialising in video rental, which later merged with Videomat to form France’s second-largest network in the sector. He then moved into strategy consulting, joining Boston Consulting Group in 2004. In 2008, he joined eBay France as Director of Finance and Strategy, before moving to Amazon, where he has held various managerial roles over the past sixteen years.

Mourad Bensadik (ISFOGEP 02) has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Supermarché Match (Carrefour Group). This new role crowns an outstanding career marked by deep expertise in retail and supply chain management. After starting out in human resources, he went on to hold senior management positions within major groups such as La Redoute, Relais Colis, Fnac Darty, Pomona and Carrefour, where he led large-scale strategic transformations in logistics, operations and omnichannel retail. Alongside his professional activities, Mourad is also actively involved in the profession, notably as President of the AUTF and Vice-President of France Logistique.

Mathieu Cransac (E09) has been promoted to Senior Managing Director at Blackstone. He joined the group in 2010 and has since been involved in the execution of numerous Blackstone investments (Center Parcs, Tangerine, ATC, etc.). Prior to joining Blackstone, he worked at Goldman Sachs PIA and Cinven. He was also Vice-President of Junior ESSEC Consulting during his studies at ESSEC.

Laurent Salanié (E95) has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Accru Partners, a European alliance of independent firms specialising in accounting, tax, audit and advisory services for SMEs and mid-sized companies. Over the course of his career, he has built a strong executive track record across strategy consulting, marketing and general management. He has worked within international groups such as Michelin, McKinsey, Avis, Aramis Group and Gandi.net.

Hélène Thirion de Nonancourt (M07) has been appointed Senior Vice President, Retail North East USA at Louis Vuitton. She has spent more than fifteen years in the world of luxury and international retail, building an outstanding career within iconic maisons. After starting out at Boucheron and Tiffany & Co., she joined Repetto, where she held roles in boutique management and network development in France and across Europe. In 2017, she continued her career at Louis Vuitton, where she led strategic flagships in Paris (Printemps Haussmann, Avenue Montaigne) and then in New York (Maison 57th Street).

Hélène Poulit-Duquesne (E92), Chief Executive Officer of Boucheron, has been elected President of the Comité Colbert, the French association that brings together 98 luxury maisons and 17 cultural institutions dedicated to promoting the influence of the French art de vivre. An active member of the Board since 2018 and Vice-President since 2022, Hélène has contributed to defining and implementing the Committee’s collective priorities, aimed at showcasing French craftsmanship, supporting sectors and Maisons internationally, and placing sustainable development at the heart of the industry’s strategies. She will officially take up her position in June 2026, alongside Bénédicte Épinay, Managing Director of the Comité.

Honours

Olivier Buquen (E85) has been promoted to the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honour. This distinction recognises his long-standing commitment to serving the French economy, the public interest and the common good. This promotion within the highest French republican order adds to a rich and varied career spanning both the corporate world—where he has served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Chargeurs Group since 2024—and public life, as a local elected official and former regional councillor for Brittany.

Pierre Auberger (E87), former Director of Communications at the Bouygues Group and a Board member of ESSEC Alumni, has been appointed Knight of the Legion of Honour by the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans. This distinction recognises more than ten years of commitment to the Citizen Reserve and the Operational Reserve of the French Navy, reflecting a career marked by a strong sense of public service and dedication to the State.

Amal Louis (EXEC MBA 17), Director of Business Development and Intermodal Solutions at the Port of Marseille Fos, has been appointed Knight of the Legion of Honour. This distinction recognises a committed professional career and decisive action in support of the port’s development, attractiveness and international influence, as well as acknowledgement of its strategic role at the heart of national and international economic and logistics exchanges.

Two alumnae feature in the “Succeeding in France – 50 Exceptional Careers” edition of Challenges magazine, which highlights 50 French personalities who have successfully embarked on entrepreneurial journeys through unconventional paths.

Fanny Picard (E92), one of the pioneers of impact investing in France, began her career at Wendel, Danone and Rothschild before founding Alter Equity in 2007, with the ambition of demonstrating that financial performance and social and environmental impact could go hand in hand. The fund raised €40 million as early as 2013, invested more than €250 million in 31 start-ups and generated significant capital gains, while imposing demanding ESG criteria. Her work has led to the creation of 1,200 jobs and the avoidance of 8.9 million tonnes of CO₂, illustrating a flagship example of purpose-driven success in France.

Cécile Beliot-Zind (E97), Chief Executive Officer of Bel since 2022, is among the five role-model entrepreneurs embodying a committed and inspiring vision of success in this edition. She combines sustainability and profitability within the food group, which employs more than 10,000 people and distributes its products in over 120 countries worldwide.

Maria El Fassi (M10) is among Morocco’s 40 Under 40 (2nd edition), a distinction highlighting high-impact young Moroccan leaders. Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Wondergifts Group, the leading experiential gifting platform in the United Arab Emirates, she has played a key role in the company’s rapid growth, reaching over $11 million in turnover in less than two years. With an international career spanning Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and more than ten years in senior leadership roles at Jumia, Maria embodies demanding operational leadership focused on performance and the sustainable development of teams.